DAY 1

When we last checked in on Celia and Remy, they were exchanging hugs and Afrin in a small hostel in Madrid. Celia majorly jet lagged, Remy a little sniffly, but resilient. The first order of business was to get something yummy in their hungry American bellies while heading towards their next destination at the Hostel Alvaro. Together, they rolled their suitcases, backpacks on backs, and started a steady uphill climb to the next hostel in the dry 95 degree Farenheight Madrid heat, stopping only for some freshly squeezed juice and a “panepinno toasta” at a spot on the way.

I wish I could tell you Celia lasted longer, that she defeated jet lag with the strength of someone that had just recently left college so all nighters were no-biggie. But sadly, Celia was three years out, and her frail eyelids could not hold themselves up. After arriving at the private double bunk-bed room, Celia resolved to napping for two hours—NO MORE THAN TWO HOURS. And Remy, well adjusted to the time zone at this point, pledged to wake her my 3 at the latest after she herself had showered and looked into planning the day.

We all need to eat. Right? Right. Therefore, we all need to grocery shop. Or run a self-sustaining farm. One is a little easier than the other. [Mad props to all you farmers, be you in the country or in the city with a few tomato plants, though. Because one time I just tried to grow some Oat grass for my cat, and I couldn’t even make that happen.]

But grocery shopping isn’t as easy as it seems, especially if you are trying to be a frugal shopper. There are hundreds of different potential grocery stores to shop from, all with varying products, prices, and sales. Clipping coupons, helpful as it is, is time consuming and requires a level of organization that I personally will never achieve. Plus, on top of it all, there’s the pressure to try not to waste the food you buy, meal plan it all perfectly before it expires, and avoid buying everything your heart stomach desires while wandering aimlessly through the aisles after a long day of work.

Well, friends. Over the years I’ve become quite the grocery shopping expert (seriously, in college I often visited the grocery for fun. I had so many friends!). Below, you’ll find all of the grocery hacks, apps, and advice you’ll need to making your grocery shopping experience easier by embracing a little technology.